Decent biopic which wisely focuses on a specific period of time - Garland's last tour of London, which included her romance with Mickey Deans. At times it feels like a play, notably in the scenes with Louis B Mayer, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing and it's well written and constructed.
The stuff with Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock) and Sid Luft (Rufus Swell in a wig and very good) is excellent as are the glimpses of her kids (the one who plays Lorna is especially excellent) and her encounters with two gay fans.
Less successful are Garland's relationship with the Bernard Delfont go between girl and the band leader Burt... I kept wondering what the point of these were. They both got all these close ups but the characters seemed little more than "polite to erratic star" - I never got the sense Garland meant much to either, whereas the other characters it was clear.
Rene Zellweger is excellent in the lead - I mean it is a gift part but she's still very good. I'm surprised the film didn't end with her death - I mean she did die in London - but cuts out six months before she went.
I wonder if anyone's ever tried to get up a film about Garland's disastrous Australian tour?
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